Why has rate of Caesarean section increased worldwide? What are the results?
Dr. Reshed Zeki Obeid, Department of obstetrics and gynecology, college of Medicine, University of Anbar
Why has rate of Caesarean section increased worldwide? What are the results?
Caesarean section(CS) has increased dramatically in the last 40 years from 3%-31. There are several reasons behind this increase which include wide use of electronic fetal monitoring, increase maternal age at first pregnancy, decline in operative obstetric maneuvers including breech delivery and instrumental vaginal delivery)forceps and ventous delivery). In addition, wide use of invitro fertilization the outcome of which is often related to need for CS. Moreover, CS for maternal request has also increased for several reasons including: fear of pain during vaginal delivery and worrying of mothers on the fetal safety. This indicates wide availability of CS in private sector.
The outcome of this spiking rate is has unfortunately associated with increase in maternal morbidity including post-partum haemorrhage, placenta accreta spectrum and emergency hysterectomy.